Alice BakerMezzo Soprano
Born in Detroit in 1961, American mezzo
soprano Alice Baker made her operatic debut with L.A. Opera in 1986, alternating
both Emilia to Plàcido Domingo's OTELLO and Suzuki to Leona Mitchell's MADAMA
BUTTERFLY in the company's innagural productions, subsequently appearing there
in roles ranging from the title role in Rossini's LA CENERENTOLA, to the Mother
Superior in Shostakovich's THE FIERY ANGEL, to Hermia in Britten's A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT'S DREAM.
Her European debut followed in February 1987 with CARMEN at Teatro dell'
Opera di Roma opposite Josè Carreras, and in the same house a short time later,
as Isabella in L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI opposite Ruggero Raimondi.
She has since appeared in the major opera houses of North America, Canada,
and Europe, including those of Chicago (Angelina in LA CENERENTOLA, Dorabella in
COSI FAN TUTTE, and Peep-Bo THE MIKADO), St. Louis (Ruggiero in ALCINA),
Washington DC (Preziosilla in LA FORZA DEL DESTINO), Seattle (Maddalena in
RIGOLETTO), Vancouver (Suzuki in MADAMA BUTERFLY), Detroit (Nancy in MARTHA),
Edmonton (Suzuki in MADAMA BUTTERFLY and Cornelia in GIULIO CESARE), Frankfurt
(Rosina in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA) , Venice (LA DAMOISELLE ELUE, and Leonora in
LA FAVORITA), Rome (the title role in GIULIO CESARE, Siebel in FAUST, Suzuki in
MADAMA BUTTERFLY, and Pergolesi's STABAT MATER), Wexford and London (Carlotta in
ELISA E CLAUDIO), Barcelona (Angelina in LA CENERENTOLA), RAI 3 radio and
television broadcast performances of FALSTAFF and NABUCCO, and in Turin (The Old
Lady in CANDIDE, and Elisabeth I in MARIA STUARDA).
In concert, Alice Baker has performed with the leading Symphony Orchestras
and conductors, among them the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The American Symphony
Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, the
Stavanger Symphony (Norway), Gran Teatro La Fenice (Venice), the Filarmonia of
Verona, the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris; and with the Festivals of Bear Valley
(USA), Grant Park (Chicago), the Hollywood Bowl, Lubiana and Maribor (Slovenia),
Santa Margherita Ligure, Rieti and Teramo (Italy), in such works as Debussy's LA
DAMOISELLE ELUE, Handel's MESSIAH, Mahler's THIRD SYMPHONY and DES KNABEN
WUNDERHORN, Verdi's MANZONI REQUIEM, Duruflè's REQUIEM, Berlioz' ROMEO ET
JULIETTE, Beethoven's NINTH SYMPHONY and MISSA SOLEMNIS, Rossini's STABAT MATER,
and Vaughn Williams' SERENADE TO MUSIC and HODIE, with conductors such as Erich
Leinsdorf, Peter Maag, Leonard Slatkin, John Nelson, Nicolas McGegan, Carlo
Frajese Christopher Hogwood, John Mauceri, Lawrence Foster, Gianluigi Gelmetti,
Sir Alexander Gibson, Sir George Guest, Roger Wagner, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Sir
Neville Marriner, and Giuseppe Patanè, and directors such as Gordon Davidson,
Peter Ebert, Alberto Fassini, Peter Sellars, David Fielding, Gotz Friedrich,
Sonia Frisell, Irving Guttman, Peter Mussbach, Jonathan Miller, and Andrei
Serban.
She appears in the PBS documentary film MASTERCLASS with six
other young American singers with the late German soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf,
and recently recorded Pergolesi's STABAT MATER on a newly released CD.
Apart from her singing schedule, the American mezzo has, since 1996,
dedicated time every year to helping young singers by volunteering with
Masterclasses and voice lessons for the New Operafestival di Roma, and with
guest performances there and in other festival sites in Italy.
Elected for inclusion in Great Britian's new international edition of the
Who's who in Classical Music, the mezzo will begin the year 2001
in the studio to record two cantatas for contralto by Vivaldi with Concentus
Musicus Italiae, and the first of a double CD recording of Bizet's songs with
pianist Raj Bhimani. Promotional concerts will follow, as well as time dedicated
to the development of CMI Arts' Young Artist/Mentor Program, of which Miss Baker
is an Artist Mentor. Later in the year the mezzo will sing a series of Verdi
"REQUIEMS" under the baton of Carlo Frajese beginning with a tour with the
Orchestra of Minsk (Russia), performances of Amneris in Aida , then more
Verdi "REQUIEMS" in November/December for the Festival Valentiniano (Rieti and
Cagli, Italy). She will repeat these performances in the year 2002, when the
Festival travels to Orvieto, and in Sept. 2002 will sing a benefit concert for
the Twin Towers Orfans Fund at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, of
Pergolesi's STABAT MATER. In December 2002, Ms. Baker returns to Orvieto to sing
selections from Handel's MESSIAH in a Christmas concert at the Duomo.
